Vessem set to add to All Stars record

Harness racing trainer Nathan Purdon has thrown down the gauntlet to other horses running in the $55,000 Group Two Diamond Creek Farm Classic on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park this Sunday (Apr. 23).

“I’m pretty happy with both our horses, they’re at peak fitness now and have developed into racehorses,” said Nathan Purdon who trains in partnership with his father Mark.

The Purdon trained Vessem (Vincent) and Major Hot (Art Major) fought out a tight finish in the Kindergarten Stakes eighteen days ago with a neck separating the pair and four and three quarter lengths back to third place getter Sodoyahavtime (Art Major).

Purdon feels Vessem has the edge on his stable mate and says Major Hot is not a natural two year old.

“He’s got good manners and ability to race as a two year old but I think he’ll be a lot better next time in.”

After Sunday’s assignment both horses will return home and will be assessed as to whether they’ll run in the $45,000 Group Two Avon City Ford Welcome Stakes at Addington on 12 of May.

“They’ve had two trips down south now and it wouldn’t surprise me if they are a wee bit tired, but we’ll let them tell us.”

The Diamond Creek Classic is now into its nineth year and is the richest two year old race south of Christchurch.

The All Stars won the inaugural running in 2015 with Lazarus and since then with A Bettor Act (2018), Virgil (2019) and Don’t Stop Dreaming (2022).

Part owners of Vessem, Hazel van Opzeeland and Stew and Pauline Gillan have tasted success at this race meeting before. Opzeeland owned Highview Tommy (Bettor’s Delight) which won the 2009 Southern Supremacy Stakes and the Gillans had a share in the 2017 Supremacy Stakes winner Eamon Maguire (Art Major).

For complete race entries, .

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink